Buckle.



No. .7I5,948. Patented- Dec. 4I6, |902.

J. BEVEBIDGE.'

BUCKLE.

(Application filed Aug. 16, 1902.)

(llo Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES BEVERIDGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming* part 0f .Letters Patent N0. 715,948, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed August 16,` 1902. Serial No. 119,871. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES BEVEEIDGE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New York, borough of Brooklyn, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buckles or clasps for securing straps for trunks, luggage-carriers, and mail-pouches and other packages or bundles which it is desired to secure safely and reliably.

The particular class of buckles to which the present invention relates is that now universally adopted by the United States Government for the use of letter-carriers in securing bundles of mail-matter.

Heretofore buckles of the described class have been made with a spring-actuated grip jaw or tongue; but the spring is not always to be depended upon,and sometimes the strap slips through the buckle at times when it is highly important that the strap be held firmly and securely.

It is the object of the present invention to apply positive supplemental pressure to the grip-jaw, the spring-pressure on the grip-jaw being used during adjustment of the strap for securing the same until the supplemental pressure is applied, and then the grip-jaw does not have to rely on the spring-pressure for positively securing the strap.

A further object is to apply pressure between the pivot and the active end of the grip-jaw. y

The additional positive pressure on thegripf jaw may be obtained in several ways, and those which are preferred will be described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of the preferred form of my improved buckle open and partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the buckle, showing it locked in use. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of t-he gripjaw clencher, which, in connectionwith a padlock or other suitable locking means, forms the medium of supplemental pressure of" the preferred form of the invention. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of the buckle in which the hasp of an ordinary padlock serves as the supplemental pressure medium for the grip-jaw. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of anothermodilication in which the grip-jaw is pressed in by the hasp of the padlock, and Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. l, 2, and 3, A indicates the frame of a buckle, and B the grip-jaw thereof. The frame is appropriately made of cast metal, having aloop C,

formed with a cross-bar D, to which the end of a trunk or other strap E is applied. The loop O has a keeper F, through which the loose end of the strap after it has been made fast may be passed. Shank a of the frameA bears at one end the loop C and at the other end a transverse elongated eye G, through which the free end of the strap is to be passed, so as to be secured by the grip-jaw B, which forms a bight in the strap and acts to hold the strap firmer the greater the outward pull on the strap. Grip-jaw B is pivotally mounted on the frame by a pivotpin b, which passes through the shank b of the grip-jaw and turns in ears orlugs 0, on the shank of the buckle-frame. A finger-piece h2 at the outer end of the jaw-shank b serves to move the preferably serrated grip-jaw'B out ofnthe eye G against the tendency of a spring H to press the grip-jaw into the eye. The eye G has a loop extension I, the cross bar z' of which serves as a pivot for a grip-jaw clencher J, composed, preferably, of a strip of heavy sheet metal which is dou-bled and formed with a sleevej for the pivot i. One portion of the grip-jaw clencher J has a bearing-surface J' and an intermediate nose J2, bent toward the grip-jaw and away from the other portion j of the clencher, which portion'j is longer than the nose portion J J2 and has at its free end a transverse opening 3'2. Loop C bears an eye K, onto which the open end of the grip-jaw clencher may be engaged, while the hasp Z of a padlock L is passed through the eye to secure the clencher.

A buckle such as described is well adapted for trunk-straps, although it may be used with other straps, if desired, and it is used and operates as follows: The free end of the strap is passed, as usual, through the eye G and over the grip-jaw, it being drawn as tight as possible. The spring serves to press the grip-jaw into the eye and to form a bight in the strap, as usual, the outward strain on the strap serving to operate the grip-jaw to draw ICO it forcibly upon the strap. The end of the strap is then passed through the end of the keeper C. To give the supplemental pressure on the grip-jaw, which is additional to that imparted by the spring H, the grip-jaw clencher is moved from open position (shown in Fig. l) to closed position of Fig. 2 and its openiugj2 caused to receive the eye K. This presses the hasp portion of the clencher against the bearing-surface J' and in turn presses the nose .I2 hard against the strap, which forces the grip-jaw positively and more forcibly against the portion of the strap passing through eye G. W'hen the hasp of the padlock is passed through the eye K and over the hasp portion of the clencher, the latter is secured and cannot spring back out of its described engagement. The hasp of the padlock being then snapped into its lock, the grip-jaw is locked down hard and the strap sealed or secured against unauthorized tampering. 'Vhat may be termed a lock-bnckle is formed.

In Fig. 4 a simple lock-buckle is shown, the frame M and grip-jaw M being shaped, however, so as to form, as before, a bight in a strap. The grip-jaw clencher as a special member is dispensed with, and the hasp of a padlock N takes its place. There the frame of the buckle is formed with a laterally-extending eye O, through which the grip-jaw extends, and the eye is of sulhcient size to permit the insertion of the hasp of the padlock therethrough, which hasp iills the eye and wedges or presses upon the grip-jaw.

In Figs. 5 and (i the buckle-frame P is formed with two side lugs Q, to which the grip-jaw R is pivoted at q, so that it is located between the lugs. Eyes q' are formed on the lugs, and through these the hasp of a padlock S is passed transversely to the buckleframe, so as to positively press upon the gripjaw. In the modifications shown the padlock is caused to stand out from the buckle. This is desirable for mail-pouches.

Preferably the pressure on the grip-jaw occurs between its pivot and toe; but the invention is not limited to this nor to the precise details shown.

XVhat I claim as new and of my invention 1s- 1. In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a spring-actuated grip-jaw, between which and the frame a strap may be secured by the grip-jaw, and supplemental pressure means acting on the grip-jaw, substantially as described.

2. In a buckle, the combination of a frame provided with an eye for a strap, a pivoted grip-jaw the gripping end of which extends into and cooperates with the eye to secure a strap, and means for positively pressing on the grip-jaw between its pivot and said eye to force it toward the eye, substantially as described.

3. In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a spring-actuated grip-jaw, a clencher free from the grip-jaw, and means for locking the clencher to abut upon the grip-jaw, substantially as described.

4. In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a spring-actuated grip-jaw, a pivoted gripjaw clencher free from the grip jaw, and means for locking the clencher upon the gripjaw, substantially as described.

5. In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a grip-jaw, and a positively-operated gripjaw clencher to abut upon the grip-jaw, substantially as described.

In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a grip-jaw, a grip-jaw clencher free from the grip-jaw provided with a hasp, a hasp-engaging eye on the frame, and means for locking the hasp to said eye, substantially as described.

7. In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a grip-jaw, a pivoted grip-jaw clencher provided with a nose to bear on the grip-jaw, and means for locking the clencher upon the gripjaw, substantially as described.

8. In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a grip-jaw, a grip-jaw clencher pivoted to one end of the frame, and means at the other end of the frame for locking the clencher upon the grip-jaw, substantially as described.

9. In a buckle, the combination of two members adapted to engage and bind a strap between them, and means independent of and for locking the two members upon the strap, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 14th day of August, 1902.

JAMES BEVERIDGE.

Vitnesses:

GEO. L. WHEELOCK, HUGH H. SENIOR.

IOO 

